EVENING SITTING.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 144, 16 June 1909, Page 5

EVENING SITTING.

The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Mr HINE (Stratford) criticised the administration of the public works, and gave an instance of men m Ins electorate thrown out of employment. Three hundred men. he said, were discharged last month in the Taranaki district. , Mr CLARK (Chalmers) opposed compulsory training if the Volunteer system could be rendered effective. He proposed a scheme whereby Volunteers could be (insured for £100, payable at 50 years of age. The amount of premium would be £2 is per year per head. This on 200,000 men would be £47,000. He would increase the force by 20,000 next year, and the third year he would raise "the force to 50,000, and in the tenth year they would have 110,000 men fit to take the field. . Mr T. E. TAYLOR (Christchurch North) wondered when there would be a party in the House to bring before it the state of men who did not earn £100 a year. This was the class that should be considered. He said that Customs taxation pressed heavily on working men, and pointed out that the British Chancellor had relieved men with families in the way of taxation. Mr Taylor, continuing, said he hoped that on the return of the Prime Minister the advances to settlers office would be reorganised, so that people could procure the capital required to carry on their enterprises. Local government reform was urgently needed. Parliament would be voting two millions without knowing how the money was to be spent. Mr ANDERSON (Mataura) advocated reform of local government, with a view to relieving the Government of much work. He also advocated granting the freehold to settlers. He spoke of the necessity for military training. Mr FISHER (Wellington Central) hoped that a Commission would be set up to inquire into the police force. He went on to deal with the question of retrenchment, and urged that suck a condition of affairs as existed previous to the reform of the Civil Service should not be allowed to exist in the future.

■ Mr HERRIES (Tauranga), referring to loans, said that the House should be given more information on the subject. He proceeded to deal with the financial proposals regarding native land, and said that no more burning question existed in the North Island. Hardly anything had been done as a result of the legislation of 1900. Sir Joseph WARD replied regarding those who criticised loans. Those! who indulged in such criticism were constantly asking for money for works in their districts.... As ,to the charge regarding the police force, Members should, before making them, have communicated with the authorities concerned to learn the other side' of i the question. He pointed out that j out of 387 candidates coming up last year 250 were rejected for various reasons. He" rebutted further charges against members of the force. He ( knew no reason why the Minister for; Justice should not be in the calm area of the Upper House so long as he carried out his duties efficiently. The talk of capital being driven out of the .country was nonsense. Companies were leaving the. coutry, taking millions with them, but other companies were coming in and investing money in the country. During the last twelve months over four millions had heen borrowed by the Government without a hitch, proving that our credit stood high, notwithstanding the attempts to damage it. The policy of . the Government regarding railways had not changed. Referring to the crowd assembled at Parliament gates, the Prime Minister denounced attempts to get up a demonstration against himself, and defied those re~ J sponsible. j The second reading was carried. IN COMMITTEE, Tv Committee, Mr MASSEY'moved an amendment to Clause 2 that the 30th September be substituted for October 14. Vfhe Government, he said, were asking for supplies till the middle of October, thus deferring the meeting of Parliament till that date. •Mr BUCHANAN supported the amendment. The PRIME MINISTER said that he could not return before the 30th September, and it was necessary to have a week to prepare an Imprest Supply Bill. After midnight, Mr Massey's amendment was lost by 43 to 25. After further discussion the .Bill was reported unamended, and the House rose at 1.35 a.m.